John Rodney Oliver (7 July 1931 – 26 September 2010) was the son of Frank and Moira. Rodney Oliver was born on 7 July 1931, and lived for many years at the Missions to Seamen at the Flinders St Extension. Rodney was schooled at Melbourne Grammar, matriculating in 1948. Then, after a couple of years as a lumberjack and jackaroo, he commenced at University of Melbourne, beginning more than half a century’s association with Trinity College. Graduating with a BA in 1953, Rodney then made the first of many trips to England, reading theology at Bishop’s College, Cheshunt. A man who revelled in scholarship, he was also a competitive and energetic bowler, snooker and squash player. Ordained deacon on 23 September 1956, in the St Albans Diocese, his first ministry as curate began at the picturebook village of Much Hadham, where he met the love of his life, Lesley Brooks. Rodney was ordained priest on 5 January 1958, at the Missions to Seamen, Melbourne, commenced twelve years as Chaplain of Ballarat Grammar School in February 1958, and returned to England to marry Lesley in early 1961. Each of his and Lesley’s four children, Jeremy (TC 1979), David, Antony and Kate (TC 1987) was born at that time, during which amongst other things, Rodney taught Religious Instruction, Latin and English, pioneered bushwalking and mountain climbing in western Victoria, ran a large scouting group and coached an Australian archer.Medium format photograph depicting two chaplains.rodney oliver, frank leslie oliver, mission to seafarers, flinders street, st peter chapel, courtyard, ordination, john rodney oliver (1931-2010)

These two photographs were taken at Bones Day, an annual sports competition between the Army Survey Regiment and the RAAF School of Radio in 1969. The two units took turns each year to host the event and on this occasion was held at the RAAF School of Radio, Laverton. The day competition usually comprised basketball, cross country, golf, sailing, squash, softball, tennis, touch football, rifle shooting, tug-of-war and volleyball. The “big bone” trophy comprising a large bone from a beast housed inside a wooden framed glass case, was awarded to the winner of the day competition. The evening competition often included darts, carpet bowls, hookey, quoits and billiards/snooker. The “little bone” (a mounted chicken bone) was the consolation trophy awarded to the winner of the evening competition. The 3-hour bus trip for the visiting unit on their return was typically very raucous. The history of the Bones Day competition is best described in the booklet titled - Bones of Contention Souvenir Program. 1965. Refer to Item 6267. The winner of the two trophies in 1969 is not known. MAJ Donald Ridge was probably on this occasion was the 2IC of the Army Headquarters Survey Regiment, He was subsequently promoted to the rank of LTCOL was the CO of the unit from 1972 to 1973; and continued as the CO of the renamed Army Survey Regiment from 1974 to 1975. He served from 1946 to 1975.These two photographs were taken at Bones Day, an annual sports competition between the Army Survey Regiment the RAAF School of Radio in 1969. The photographs were printed on photographic paper and are part of the Army Survey Regiment’s Collection. They were scanned at 300 dpi. .1) - Photo, black & white, 1969. L to R: Unidentified CO or representative from the RAAF School of Radio, MAJ Don Ridge. .2) - Photo, black & white, 1969. L to R: MAJ Don Ridge, unidentified CO or representative from the RAAF School of Radio..1P to .9P – no annotationsroyal australian survey corps, rasvy, army survey regiment, army svy regt, fortuna, asr, bones day, raaf school of radio